LOX Transfer Pump

MiTi proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of developing a highly reliable and efficient oil-free LOX transfer pump suitable for application to space based cryogenic fluids, handling and storage systems. This novel pump is based on MiTi?s patented hybrid passive and active magnetic bearing and blood pump technology, which has already demonstrated extremely low losses and vibration signatures. The proposed pump is inherently reliable even in the presence of transient shock or overloads due to the integration of auxiliary backup bearing technologies that generate hydrodynamic pressures necessary to carry rotor loads in the event of a magnetic bearing overload or failure. The bearing system is robust, simple in design, is lightweight, and can be designed to fit into low volume areas. Under this effort, MiTi will identify the materials needed to ensure LOX compatibility, conduct parametric design tradeoff studies to establish the necessary scaled design, and will conduct preliminary baseline testing with an existing pump. Finally, a preliminary conceptual design of the qualification test hardware needed for Phase II will be completed.